Bottle carrier



Dec. 2, 1947. J. M. LAWLER ETAL BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Feb. 1, 1945 Patented Dec. 2, 1947 BOTTLE CARRIER John M. Lawler and John J. Kuettel,

St. Paul, Minn.

Application February 1, 1945, Serial No. 575,677

4 Claims. (01. 224-45) This invention relates to bottle carriers of a type conveniently adaptable for carrying bottles of carbonated beverages from retail outlets to the home and similar purposes.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a small economicaly produced bottle carrier made from a durable material which will withstand oxidation and which has sufficient strength to stand up under repeated use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle carrier adapted to engage and support a plurality of bottles at their necks and immediately below the conventional enlarged mouth portion of the bottles, wherein the bottles can be carried without danger of accidental displacement from the carrier and wherein the structure is such that it utilizes minimum of material.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with portions of bottles shown in dotted lines in the carrying position; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the device with the upper portions of bottles shown in dotted lines.

The carrier includes a pair of flat horizontally disposed lateral portions 4 which are joined by an arched central portion 5 which extends throughout the length of the carrier. The outer edges of the lateral portions 4 are bent downwardly to provide reinforcing flanges 6. A handle or ball 1 has its ends extending through suitable apertures located medially of the arched centra1 portion 5 and the ends of the bail 'l are bent over beneath the central portion 5.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arched central portion 5 is provided with a series of openings 8 which, as illustrated in Figure 2, are large enough to permit the enlarged mouth portion of a bottle to pass through the openings. Joining the central openings 8 are spaced laterally disposed openings 9 which are formed in the lateral portions 4 of the carrier, and said openings 9 are of suificient width to receive the relatively small neck portion of a bottle but are of less width than the enlarged upper mouth portion of the bottle.

At spaced points in the base area of the arcmd central portion 5 are stops ID which are generally upright in position and are spaced apart the same distance as the width of the openings 9 in the lateral portions 4. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the stops or projections Ill extend upwardly a distance sufiicient to engage and confine the enlarged mouth portions of bottles placed in the openings 9 to prevent their laterally inward displacement into the central openings 8. The stops [0 should be of sufficient height to prevent such displacement even though the car rier might be jostled vertically and/or laterally as bottles are being carried therein.

The bottle carrier described above can be made with a minimum of operations and. can be stamped from a single sheet of metal such as aluminum which is highly resistant to corrosion. Of course, other materials such as steel and thermoplastic or thermosetting compounds can be used if desired. The arched central portion 5 not only makes it convenient to insert and remove bottles from the carrier, but it provides a central longitudinal reinforcement and also permits the handle I to be located upwardly in a convenient carrying position. Additionally, portions of the arched central portion provide the stops It! for confining the bottles in the openings 9. The lateral reinforcing flanges 6 on the horizontallateral portions 4 also act to prevent the bottles from swinging outwardly too far when being carried, and, consequently, assist in preventing the enlarged mouth portions of the bottles from riding up and over the stops I0 should said bottles have a tendency to swing outwardly.

The carrier utilizes a minimum of material and has considerable advantage over paper cartons such as have been used before since it can be used repeatedly without wear or breakage, whereas the paper cartons quickly disintegrate from moisture to which they are subjected and also are easily crushed or torn.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. A carrier for bottles having enlarged upper mouth portions comprising, a sheet of material having a higher central portion flanked by a pair of lower lateral portions, said central portion having an opening therein larger than the enlarged mouth portion of a bottle to be carried, said lateral portions having oppositely disposed openings therein having widths less than that of said first mentioned opening and adapted to support bottles therein by their enlarged mouth portions, and the junctures of said first mentioned openings with said oppositely disposed openings being defined by upstanding portions of said higher central portion for retaining said enlarged mouth portions in said oppositely disposed openings.

2. A carrier for bottles having enlarged upper. mouth portions comprising, a single sheet of thin stiff material having a higher central portion flanked by a pair of lower lateral portions, said central portion having an opening thereinlalrgerr than the enlarged mouth portion of a bottle to be carried, said lateral portions having oppositely disposed openings therein of less width than that of said first mentioned opening; and adaptedto:

support bottles therein by their enlarged mouth portions, and said higher central portion including a pair of spaced upstanding stop elements at the junctures of each of said lateral" openings with said central opening.

2'. A carrier for bottleshavlng enlarged upper mouth portions comprising, a sheet of material having a pair of spaced lateral portions, acentral portion connecting said lateral portions and'having an arched shape in cross section, said central portion having an opening thereinlarger than the enlarged mouthportion of a bottle to be carried, said lateral portions having oppositely disposed openings therein communicating with said first mentioned openings in said central portion, said oppositely disposed openings being of less width than that of said first mentioned opening, and adapted to support bottles by their enlarged mouth portions, and spaced upstanding stop elements at the junctures of said lateral openings with said central opening.

4. A carrier for bottles having enlarged upper mouth portions comprising, a pair of spaced substantially horizontally disposed lateral portions, an arched central portion higher than and connecting'said lateral portions and having a bottle mouth receiving opening therein, said lateral portions having a pair of smaller openings therein communicating with said first mentioned opening at opposite sides thereof and sufficient to receive the. neckiportions of bottles below their enlarged upper mouth portions, and upstanding stops formed in the base area of said arched central portionlatthejunctures of said openings in said lateral. portions with the opening in said central portion.

JOHN M. LAWLER. J OHN J. KUETTEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of' this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 689,694 Snow et al Dec. 24, 1901 2,264,903 Kruea Dec. 2, 1941 2,290,970 King July 28, 1942 2,309,395 Hutafl, Jr Jan. 26, 1943 2,339,598 Burge et al. Jan. 18, 1944 2,348,187 Beskin 1- May 9,1944 

